The Fencer and the Samurai
Simulator - Darkmount(#11997Rnt) - Polyhex As awe-inspiring as the walls and tower of Darkmount are, and how well they instill the sense of Decepticon militarism and industry, they are far from the only signs, if the most obvious. Within the tower on the 99th floor is one room that can be anywhere and anyone it wants to be. Cavernously large and covered walls, ceiling, and floor in reflective metal tiles, the simulator is an ideal training ground for weapons, recruits, or veterans looking to hone their skills. Contents: Vendetta Training Drone - Darkmount Vendetta is currently practicing some fencing techniques on the drone. Bludgeon walks quietly into the Simulator room in his slow and deliberate fashion. He's in his true form, not the pretender shell, though there is a distinct resemblance to his samurai armor. Even his face is a somewhat skull-like faceplate, almost eerily so. He looks up as he notices Vendetta, placing his right fist into his left palm and inclining his head respectfully to the Decepticon. "Greetings, Vendetta. I hope I'm not interrupting you. I thought I might take the time to test my recent bout of repairs, to ensure they can withstand the vigors I put this old body through." "Age and experience is just a means of tempering one's skills," Razorclaw rumbles in reply to the end of Bludgeon's comment. As a military commander he came in here regularly to check on training scheduals, or to observe the techniques of those he may have to one day orcestrate into tactical plans. Not being one to risk ineffective and inefficient methods, keeping up on the skill sets of the soldiers under him was very important. Needless to say, noticing the Pretender entering while out of his shell was enough to perk his interest. Vendetta turns around and sees the famous Decepticon swordmaster Bludgeon. The seeker stops the training and gives Bludgeon the fencer's salute. "Greetings Bludgeon. Non you are not interrupting anything." He ponders the invitation. "I do not think I am on your skill level but I vill do my best not to embarass myself." Vendetta deactivates the drone and moves to the middle of the room with his guard up. "En garde monsieur!" Bludgeon inclines his head politely to his direct superior, the Infantry CO. To Vendetta, he would smile if he had a mouth. His skull-like facemask is broken where a mouth would be. When he speaks, his voice reverberates softly. "I am always on guard." Is his simply reply. He places his hands behind his back. Even for Bludgeon, it's not a normal battle stance. Rather, he wants to observe Vendetta. If they're going to spar, he's going to absorb as much about this fencer as possible. Bludgeon has been making a deliberate point to seek out potential trainees, those who wield the kinds of bladed weapons that Metallikato desires. Like Scorn, Vendetta is equipped with the perfect kind of weapon. A rapier, able to strike with pinpoint accuracy. "I've been watching you. Show me what you can do. Let me see into your spark, at the warrior that dwells within. At the Decepticon Heart that beats within you. Show me your strength, and perhaps I will teach you some of mine one day." Vendetta raises an eyebrow at the whole 'hands behind the back guard'. The frenchbot circles Bludgeon slowly looking for opening, pondering his move...The rapier's tip draws tiny circles...sometimes moving left and right like a snake's tail. The seeker lunges tip towards the arm-shoulder joint but halfway there drops straight down towards the knee-joint. Combat: Vendetta sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Electro-Rapier attack! -1 Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Electro-Rapier": A Level 2 MELEE attack. A Seeker utilizing a melee weapon? Interesting, a little peculiar, but not unheard of. "Ah. A test of skills. Excellent." Razorclaw maneuvers himself off to the side and out of the way, as these sort of fights can sometimes end up moving around quite a bit. He draws his own sonic sword, resting it point down to the ground at his side. It kept it conveniently at ready should he need it. Not that he should... But you never know. This is two Decepticons about to go at it, even if Bludgeon is the honorable sort. Bludgeon doesn't dodge, but instead direct his arm to intercept the piercing attack instead, preventing it from striking in the knee. A glance to his arms show a great deal of nicks and scars; evidently, Bludgeon uses his arms to absorb blows where he has more armor. "You're fast. That's good. Let's see just how fast." His voice is still softspoken and calm. Normally slow, when he attacks, Bludgeon is capable of tremendous speed. He mimics Vendetta's movements, sidestepping left and right, except that after the first movement he accelerates into a blur. For a brief moment, there's a double image as the samurai darts forward with his fist, aiming towards the Seeker's midsection. The first image is a diversion, the second one holds the actual sundering blow. Combat: Bludgeon sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Bludgeon strikes Vendetta with his Afterimage Strike (Punch) attack! Combat: Gained 1 energon. Vendetta twists his sword downwards almost perpendicular to the floor in order to try and deflect the blow while spinning outwards. Unfortunately the first image was an illusion. The actual blow catches Vendetta in the side where a human would have ribs. "Nice one!" Vendetta is too close to attempt another swing so he tries to elbow Bludgeon in the face in order to make some space. Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Elbow strike to the face (Punch) attack! Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Punch": A Level 1 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 4 damage. Razorclaw is merely standing back and watching. Studying the way the two combatants move. The Seeker certainly knew how to handle himself in close quarters, which is more than can be said about some of the air troopers. Bludgeon ducks his head as the elbow strikes him, clashing directly against the V-shaped crest on his helmet. He uses the momentum to spin and backstep out of Vendetta's close proximity. He knows that staying up close and personal will hamper the rapier's prowess, but he isn't interested in that right now. He wants to see what Vendetta can do, not try to overpower him or take advantage of his weaknesses. "Your weapon is uniquely shaped. Its strength is in its precision and focus. All of your strength, all of your power, all of your heart and soul focused into a single point at the tip of its blade." Bludgeon holds up his right hand, extending the first two digits as though to mimic the rapier. "It isn't enough to simply strike your opponent. Any petrorabbit can kick a predator." Bludgeon lunges forward again, and this time, Vendetta knows that the attack is real. If he's bracing for massive impact, he'll be surprised. It isn't power Bludgeon's next strike is aiming for, but absolute precision. Combat: Bludgeon strikes Vendetta with his Fracture Point attack! -3 Combat: Gained 1 energon. Vendetta gets pushed back feeling his armor crack a little bit. "Oui, I understand what you are saying." This time no feint, no misdirection. Vendetta pictures the tiny space under the arm where TF's have no or little armor. He lunges at Bludgeon hoping to pierce a vital component. Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Electro-Rapier attack! Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Electro-Rapier": A Level 3 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 7 damage. Razorclaw nods a bit to himself, both at Bludgeon's advice and at Vendetta's technique. The joints are always an applicable target. A crippled enemy is an inefficient one. The blow manages to strike Bludgeon in the desired location, though it doesn't incapacitate the arm. The samurai winces, drawing back his arm and stepping back. He takes a moment to flex the arm, looking a bit impressed by that last bout of swashbucklery. "Good use of an opponent's weakpoint." It's always a good idea to strike where there's less armor. And if not, sometimes it's even better to crack said armor. The samurai slides his legs apart, leaning forward with his right hand hovering over the handle of his own sword. If he could grin, he would. This is the kind of training that Bludgeon enjoys. Finding a potential trainee, someone to take and teach them even stronger techniques, to help them reach an even higher level of power and skill. There's a flash of motion, the sound of steel grating against steel, as Bludgeon draws his katana and aims directly at Vendetta's midsection where his armor is thickest. Combat: Bludgeon strikes Vendetta with his Shatter Point attack! Combat: Drained 17 energon. Razorclaw watchs this, idly lifting his own sword into his hands proper, then looks down at it after observing Bludgeon's technique for breaking through armor. His blade can do that, but it's because of sonic vibrations to strike the resonate frequency of the target, rather than the force of the blade itself. Which gets the Pretender a subtle toned "Impressive." Shame he did not get to watch more of Bludgeon in action in DC, it must of been quite a sight. Vendetta tries to leap outside the range of the Katana but not fast enough. The sword slices through the armor and cockpit on the chest. "Haha! Tres impressionant. I have read alot about the history of samurais and their famed sword. See Japanese developped a great sword and refined the techniques over hundreds of years. Meanvhile zhe europeans have refined the technology which is vhy the swords kept changing so fast. Fascinating part of terran history." A twitch of the left wrist ejects a dagger in his left hand. Time to move to the dual-wielding style of sword and dagger. Vendetta wants to show off a little bit and tries to slash in a little 'V' aross Bludgeon's chest. Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Electro-Rapier attack! -2 Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Electro-Rapier": A Level 1 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 7 damage. The dual wielded blow strikes Bludgeon, but not in the chest. He raises up both arms in an X-form, absorbing the blows with his forearms, each one bearing a deep incision from the fencer's blades. "Both the downside and benefit of not using my Pretender Shell. I have significantly less armor, but the blows feel more real. More substantial. Within the Shell, the pain is muted. Perhaps my one true complaint of Thunderwing's work. There is a rush of energon that comes from feeling pain -- true pain. Knowing that your lifeforce is bleeding away, that you risk the final death. It's why I always train in my trueform." "Bludgeon holds his sword in both hands, then mimics Vendetta once again. He draws the smaller blade, the pair to his katana. A wakizashi. He leaps backwards, skidding to a stop and throwing both arms out wide to either side. "It's true." He says in agreement of Razorclaw. "They are capable of as much violence and destruction as we are." And then he slashes both blades in an X, both blades compressing the air in their wake, creating an implosion directly in front of Bludgeon that explodes forth like a shockwave. The air ruptures, sending an X-shaped wave of pure force outward at Vendetta. Combat: Bludgeon strikes Vendetta with his Wind Slash (Disruptor) attack! Combat: Gained 1 energon. Vendetta reverts both grips and crosses sword and dagger to make a sturdy 'X' himself to parry the blows but they never come...The shockwave moves through the blades and strikes the seeker dead center in the chest pushing him back a few feets causing the metal floor to spark around the ankles. Vendetta blinks as if not quite understanding what happened. "Vas that...Vas that an actual slash or some sort of disguised veaponry?" He reverts the inverted grip on his rapier returning to standard but keeps the dagger inverted, blade outwards. Vendetta lunges for the thigh area, inner leg again hoping to hit a weakly protected area. Combat: Vendetta sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Thigh stab! (Punch) attack! Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Punch": A Level 1 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 6 damage. Razorclaw flexes his fingers a few times upon the hilt of his sword, loosening and tightening his grip a few times. Watching the display in front of him was making the hunter within stir, but to interrupt the training would be callous and rude of him. And probably ruin whatever learning what was going on. So for now he remains at the sides, watching. He would have his own fights to handle soon enough once the operations on Earth continue. Bludgeon's facial expression changes as Vendetta changes his grip, shifting his technique. To the samurai, it's a defensive manuever. Against a normal foe, it would perhaps be an effective tactic. But against Bludgeon, it probably won't stop him from overrunning those defenses if he chooses to. Vendetta's blade pierces him in the leg, but Bludgeon slaps it away with his own katana. "It is a technique that cuts through air, severing the high pressure from the low and creating an implosion wave. A kind of vacuum slash. Like most of my techniques, they focus on precision and focus, rather than sheer dominating strength." He sheathes the wakizashi with a flick of the wrist, shifting to a two handed stance. "There are many ancient Cybertronian Arts that utilize unique forms of attack. They can be adapted to most any blades, from those are precise as yours to larger ones such as Commander Razorclaw's claymore-style blade. Such as this one." Bludgeon takes a single step back, lifting one hand to the edge of his katana. He deliberately drags the blade along his palm, cutting himself, then drags his hand down the length of the sword, coating it with energon. Holding the blade with two hands again, he pauses only momentarily to refocus his intent, then slashes the katana in a wide arc in front of him. The blade crackles with lightning as it cuts through the air, releasing an altogether different kind of shockwave, this one unleashing a burst of electrical energy. The power contained within the energon on the blade, cut and released in an electrical blastwave. Combat: Bludgeon strikes Vendetta with his Lightning Slash (Disruptor) attack! Combat: Gained 1 energon. Vendetta understands it is useless to try and parry this attack but now is the time for Bludgeon to learn another thing about the seeker. The seeker feels the shockwave but the electricity seems to dissipate onto him. "Hehehe...The secret is out." He says with little grin. Vendetta returns his dagger to his forearm sheath. He holds the rapier infront of him, perpendicular to Bludgeon for the moment. Two fingers grab the base of the blade near the tip. Sparks can be seen around the fingers as he slides them along the blade as if wiping blood off of it. Sparks grow more intense towards the tip. Once he is done he shows his fingers...not a mark. "Given my choice of weapon...zhe electro-rapier. I am protected from my own weapons. Electrical attacks have are not quite as useful against me." Now he goes for some footwork, un-fencing like. Moving sideways, side to side like a snake checking which side is weaker. The rapier changes hands a few times and...lunge on the left side! Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Left-handed lunge! (Kick) attack! Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Kick": A Level 2 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 6 damage. Combat: Vendetta's attack has damaged your Strength! Bludgeon arcs a browridge at Vendetta. Again, he'd smirk if he could. "Duly noted. I should point out however, that I do not have any similar weaknesses or strengths." Ambidexterity is a useful talent for a swordsman, as Vendetta demonstrates, and Bludgeon takes another blow to his armor. It cracks and splinters. By now, Bludgeon is covered in wounds, though neither warrior is fighting at full strength so the wounds are smaller than they would be in a true battle. Still, the exertion of battle is taking its toll on the samurai's power output. He's studied Vendetta enough to see some of his weaknesses, but also his strengths. And Bludgeon is proud to know that such strength and skill blooms within the Decepticon ranks. Within Vendetta there is a flame, and the samurai has already decided that he's going to try and fan those flames. To feed them until they become an inferno of power within the fencer. He will have to meditate, to determine exactly how to accomplish this, but that is for later. For right now, there is only the match. Bludgeon moves to attack, throwing a series of slashes at Vendetta. None of them are full speed, as he watches the way that the fencer evades or deflects the attacks, trying to learn his movements and patterns. After several such attacks, he flips the blade backwards and thrusts the pommel towards Vendetta's midsection, trying to bypass his defenses. Combat: Bludgeon strikes Vendetta with his Energo-Sword attack! -3 Combat: Secondary Damage! Combat: Drained 2 energon. Vendetta parries as best he can but he knows...he knows since the beginning that the samurai is toying with him but...he is learning. The pommel strike does bypass the defense and finds it's mark. Not really liking the closeness of it all. Vendetta pulls a rather un-fencing like move. He pulls back his rapier like an archer drawing a bow. Creating some space between the tip and Bludgeon. His left hand goes for the wrist in order to possibly hamper the capcity to block. He yanks Bludgeon towards him as he thrusts the rapier going for a nice Kebab. Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Electro-Rapier attack! Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Electro-Rapier": A Level 3 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 10 damage. Combat: Vendetta's attack has damaged your Accuracy! Combat: Secondary Damage! Bludgeon is caught off guard as Vendetta throws a move that appears to be from the school of streetfighting as opposed to fencing. The samurai grunts as the blade impales him, thankfully missing any vital components. However, that does leave the fencer in dangerous close proximity, with little room to move until he's drawn the blade back out of the old warrior. "Nicely done. It never hurts to surprise your opponent with a move from another book." He throws his head back and then drives it full force towards Vendetta's head, trying to knock both of them clear of one another -- Bludgeon doesn't necessarily want to stay impaled. Without his Shell, he has a lot less armor, and with all the nicks and pierces that Vendetta has been landing, he doesn't have nearly as much armor as he did a short while ago. Combat: Bludgeon strikes Vendetta with his Headbutt! UNG! attack! -1 Combat: Drained 14 energon. Vendetta is knocked back "Oooowwww..." The optics flicker for a fraction of a second. A few red messages scroll on the HUD and warnings blink about the very fractured state of the armor. He ponders surrendering but...let's push this a bit further. "Yes I see ve are both capable of drawing from ozher schools." Vendetta leaps back to gain some room. This time he pulls a move straight from the Iaijutsu handbook and attacks the wrist articulation. Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Electro-Rapier attack! -2 Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Electro-Rapier": A Level 1 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 5 damage. Combat: Vendetta's attack has damaged your Strength! Combat: Secondary Damage! Razorclaw rumbles from the sidelines. "In warfare, there is no such thing as improper tactics. Any means that leads to an effective defeat the enemy is worth consideration." The training spar is going well, and hasn't turn into a brawl like he's seen in the past when the student dislikes what he is being told, so the Predacon lowers his sword back to rest at his side. Iaijitsu is one of Bludgeon's favored styles, and Vendetta pulls off the move quite well. It strikes Bludgeon in his right arm, where most of his strength is drawn from, and he winces again as the armor splinters and cracks before knocking the blade back with his own sword. He releases a counter attack, but only to draw Vendetta's attention away from his left hand. Several hatches flip open along Bludgeon's back, releasing a jet of superheated air, decompressing his systems as the samurai channels a surge of energon into his left hand. Energy ripples as he closes it into a fist. He feints once, then lunges forward, aiming to strike the fencer's exposed points where he had previously sundered his armor. Combat: Bludgeon misses Vendetta with his Charged Punch attack! -4 Combat: Gained 1 energon. In that little instant between life and death. The twinkle in your optics when you see the inevitable come towards you and you surpass yourself by doing what seems impossible just to live a second longer. Not looking forward to 5 minutes from now. Just another second. The seeker puts on a surprising burst of speed. Flick of the wrist re-ejects the dagger and reverses the grip. Vendetta ducks right getting a knee on the ground and stabs Bludgeon in the left knee. Combat: Vendetta sets his defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Vendetta strikes Bludgeon with his Stab to knee! (Punch) attack! Combat: Vendetta (Vendetta) used "Punch": A Level 1 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 7 damage. Combat: Vendetta's attack has damaged your Accuracy! And there it is. Vendetta manages to read Bludgeon's attack and evade the strike. It was the one thing that the samurai didn't expect the fencer to truly accomplish, yet the one thing he was hoping to see. That one evasion is enough for Vendetta to prove his worth. To show that he isn't just flair and flash, but holds a mind capable of learning and growing, expanding beyond their own limitations. Metallikato requires a sharp mind, far sharper than the blades they wield. Vendetta counterattacks, but Bludgeon makes no movement to absorb or deflect the blow. It strikes him in the leg, but the samurai doesn't even seem to notice it. He takes his sword, thrusting the blade into the ground. "That's enough." He says, his reverberating voice echoing softly. "You have exceeded my expectations and proven yourself not only a skillful swordsman, but one who will be able to break the bonds of fate that limit them." Bludgeon raises his hands, placing his fist into his open palm again, a sign of respect. "If you are willing to endure the training, I believe I can teach you a few techniques to better take advantage of your chosen weapon. It may take some hard work, but I believe you've shown me the potential for true growth." Vendetta has trouble believing it...and wonders where the sucker punch will come. When Bludgeon gives him the salute it's enough for him. If it was another seeker he would have thrown in an extra punch to be sure. The french-bot returns the dagger to it's hiding place and performs the fencer's salute before returning the sword to it's scabbard on the left. "I am...impressed I was about to make such an impression." And then he realizes just how stupid that sounded. "I am very interested in becoming a much better swordfighter and would very much like to learn more from you." Razorclaw has learned a great deal about both combatants, but as is typical of him he's keeping whatever observations to himself, filed away for later potential use. "The strongest soldiers are the ones willing to keep bettering themselves."